On the Bucs’ first drive, they stayed true to what their game plan has been all season: a steady balance of run and pass. After a few short passes to Cam Brate and Chris Godwin, as well as a few nice runs up the middle by Peyton Barber, Jameis Winston took a deep shot to wide receiver Mike Evans in the end zone. Though the ball was overthrown, pass interference against Tennessee put the ball at the goal line. The Bucs couldn’t punch it in, but they were able to get a field goal, which opened the scoring at 3-0.

On the Titans’ first possession, the tried to run the ball right into the teeth of the Bucs’ defense on the first play; that didn’t work. Then on their first pass of the day, Jason Pierre-Paul, in his first game since returning from his off-season neck injury, got home for his first sack of the 2019 season. After a failed deep pass on third down Tennessee was forced to punt.

But on the Bucs’ next possession, a bad snap by center Ryan Jensen resulted in a fumble lost by Winston that became a turnover in favor of the Titans. Two plays and just 10 yards later, Tennessee put the ball in the end zone on a short pass from Tannehill to tight end Jonnu Smith. This brought the score to 7-3 in favor of the home team.

On the Bucs’ next drive, trailing for the first time, Tampa tried to get running back Ronald Jones involved. Jones was able to help them pick up a few first downs, but once they reached midfield their drive stalled and they weren’t able to convert on a 3rd-and-7. This resulted in a punt, which was perfectly executed and pinned the Titans at their own 1-yard line.

On the first play from the Titans’ next drive, with their back against their own end zone, running back Derrick Henry broke off a long 34-yard run to give Tennessee some breathing room. But after that the Bucs defense went into lock down mode, stoning the Titans’ next two runs, and then a nice pass break up from rookie Sean Murphy-Bunting forced a punt.

However, on the Bucs next possession, Winston overthrew a pass to Chris Godwin and the ball was intercepted by Malcom Butler of the Titans. A few plays later, the Tannehill would toss a perfect touch pass over the Bucs defense to extend their lead 14-3.

Following the turnover, the Bucs offense marched to midfield before being faced with a 4th-and-1 on Tennessee’s side of the 50-yard line. Winston converted with a well executed QB sneak. A few plays later Winston would throw what appeared to be an interception to Titans cornerback Logan Ryan, but after review Ryan didn’t have control of the ball, so the Bucs got away with one. After a sack on third down, Bucs kicker Matt Gay knocked in his second field goal of the day to bring the score to 14-6.

The Titans had a quick three-and-out on their next drive, and after a great return on the punt by T.J. Logan, the Bucs started their next drive at Tennessee’s 34-yard line. That made for an easy field to manage, and resulted in another field goal for Tampa to bring the score to 14-9.

The Titans matched the Bucs good punt return with a kick return of their own. That allowed them to start their next drive at the 45-yard line. The Bucs’ defense was able to lock them down to attempt just a long field goal, but the make made it 17-9 with not much time left in the first half.

The Bucs weren’t ready to just kneel the ball down and take the game to the half. Instead, Winston and Evans had other plans. On the next drive, Winston and Evans would hook up four times, one for 13 yards, one for 14 yards, one for 46 yards and then finally a nine-yard touchdown. This brought the score to 17-15. Arians elected to go for two to try to tie the game, but the conversion failed and the score went to half 17-15 favoring Tennessee.

On the Titans’ first possession of the second half, Henry found a hole up the middle for a big gain, but Bucs safety Andrew Adams was able to knock the ball loose and Tampa recovered. On the first play of the next drive, Winston found Evans deep again, this time for 43 yards, getting them close to the end zone. In a fitting chain of events, Winston and Evans would connect again for a touchdown to give the Bucs the 23-17 lead following the successful 2-point conversion.

After back-to-back punts, one for the Titans and one for the Buccaneers, the Titans found themselves in field goal range. Kicker Cody Parkey stayed perfect on the day brining the score to 23-20, a tight one headed into the fourth quarter.

The Bucs’ next drive would only be sustained for four plays and nine yards before they were forced to punt. When the Titans received the ball for the first time in the fourth quarter, they were able to march down the field on a long 12-play drive that traveled 90 yards and took almost seven minutes off the clock. At the end of it, Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown had his hands raised in the end zone for six points. It was 27-23 Tennessee with 6:55 left to play.

As the the Bucs took the field after going down on the scoreboard, their drive was shorter than they wanted it to be, as Titans pass rusher Harold Landry came in and forced a fumble on Winston as he was going through his motion. It would be Titans ball on the Bucs side of the 50 after Tampa’s third turnover of the day.

Fortunately for the Bucs offense, the defense bailed them out, as they were able to hold the Titans to just a field goal attempt without taking too much time off the clock. But in a twist of events, the Titans called a fake field goal run, one which Bucs linebacker Devin White snuffed out for a huge stop and turnover on downs.

With time not on their side, but momentum swinging their way, the Bucs started their next drive down four at their own 28-yard line. The Bucs had to work for every yard, but eventually they found themselves at the Titans’ 41-yard line on a 4th-and-1. Tampa offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich opted to run the ball to try to get the yard, but the Titans flew through the gap and stoned running back Peyton Barber before the line of scrimmage.

That gave the Titans the ball with 1:53 left in the game. They were able to take all but 49 second off the game clock in their three plays of that drive before punting it back to the Buccaneers. With no timeouts, Tampa got the ball back with a chance — a small chance, but a chance.

The first play was a first down pass to tight end Cam Brate. But the second play was an interception by the Titans on a poor throw by Winston, one that may have had confusion between he and wide receiver Breshad Perriman.

That sealed the Titans’ 27-23 win, and the Buccaneers’ fifth loss of the season.